Hey man, I've had my boat at Lightning Jack's marina for the last 5 years. It's the ugliest blue and white x star in the world, but we get out 3 to 4 times a week. We should hook up sometime. If u plan 2 launch at Lighning Jack's you'll be happy 2 know that, unlike last year, the marina will be dredged (should be done in a week or so) so the ramp should be workable even at low tide for at least a couple months.

I'll believe that marina is dredged when I see it. It seemed like everytime I was down there last year it was an "oh the permits should come through in about two weeks and we can dredge" Half the inlet was unusable and some of their boats were sitting in mud during low tide. And you had to really time what when you wanted to get there and when you wanted to leave to have ramp access.

Eric I've seen that boat. I assume you are happy about the dredging judging by where you have had to store your boat at the edge of that dock?

Like Paul I'll believe Lightning Jack's dredges when I see it. They said it'll only be a couple weeks at beginning of last year when I paid them for ramp pass, and it was never dredged. Just got worse all year, very inconvenient. Same thing all year long, should be a couple weeks, was always either permits or waiting for dredging company to move their equipment down there after another job. The year before it wasn't too bad, but started to get pretty shallow at end of season and of course they said no worries it'll be dredged by the following season. I understand they have a lot of grief with EPA/permits/whatever but you can't run a marina and charge premium price for a ramp pass and not have water. Literally dry land at low tide in half the marina.

Anyhow to not deal with idiots at a public ramp it was worth it, but not with a 6 hour window around low tide that it's unusable. First season I went there it was only 2-3 hours and doable to work around. This year I'll be trying Florence as I hear that ramp has water at or at least near low tide. Hopefully it's not too busy for a public ramp, but I usually shoot for early morning. Trailer lot looks a little tight if it gets full, but hopefully doable. Dave I believe you go out of either Florence or Bordentown, if so I'm sure I'll run into you this season. Won't be out this weekend with the holiday loonies but shooting for the weekend after.

Eric, if you're still doing weekday evening maybe we can hook up and get some pulls in after work this summer, it's a short drive from my work to Lightning Jacks.

Cory, Florence is where I go. The lot is almost never full...we start early am and no one is there.
Careful at dead low tide, there seems to be no deep water right to the end of the dock from the ramp. Don't power your boat off the trailer, float it off instead. I banged up my prop already first time out this year because I didn't float it off.....but for some reason I have never seen the river that low before. Maybe due to lack of rain prior, or extreme low tide because of the moon....not sure but it was lower than ever.
Hope to see you out there this year!

Hey guys! I have good news - lightning jacks is open for business. The ramp side is completely dredged, the docks (well, most of the docks) are in, and they are working on dredging the non-ramp side. I'll be in the same slip as last year - the one on the end. I was forced out there last year but now I kinda like it. I've got twin boys and the extra width of the dock out there is nice - I've only had to jump in to rescue them twice. Also, the guy who lives above the now unoccupied restaurant is really good at keeping an eye on my stuff. I'm in Lake Anna all week but we gotta get together when I get back. Njskier, I know JB's roll to revert like the back of my hand! That's a nice pic!

FYI, on the ramp side of lightning jack's, at the sides, the silt is already beginning to return, so be careful at low tide. It looks like the silt is gonna stay. According to the people at the marina, all dredging has been halted because the fish are migrating or something.